History of New Rockford: August 20, 2018

Lizzie Monahan had been absent several days. Absent a few days due to illness were Jennie Hersey, Clinton Kennedy and Mabel Kennedy. School organist Ida Clure had been absent a few days with illness, so assistant organist Blanche Brownell filled in for her. Alfred Dinnetz had joined the second grade; Henry Holland, John Cahill, Fred Ackerman and Blanche Butler were new fifth graders; new sixth graders were Mae O’Connell, Eddie Monahan and Lawrence Butler; and John Schmid had joined the sophomore class. Pearl Henry of the sophomore class would soon leave to teach in a rural Wells County school. The second and third graders were studying Holland and its children. The geography students were about to use drawing paper for part of their lessons. The intermediate department had over fifty students. The advanced algebra class was nearing the end, and the students would then take up etymology. The librarian and his assistant had a special desk.

New Rockford’s two barbershops (D.Y. Stanton’s; John Oard’s) had been consolidated into one under D.Y. Stanton; there were four chairs, each with its own barber, in the basement of the Maddux Block. Ed Starks had started a feed mill and wood yard at the former Berge mill site on the east side. Orders could be left at Lindquist’s machine shop.

J.M. Mulvey had put up poles and had strung a telephone line between his hardware store and his house; Mulvey then extended it to the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Stoddard. Mulvey used the Bell telephone.

An ad: E.H. Martin, Independent Dray Line. Guss Gullicks was the local agent for Dr. Ward’s remedies, spices, extracts, etc.

Kennedy and Scott (R.M. Kennedy and Hugh Scott) placed an article in the “Transcript” in response to the new draying business of E.H. Martin. They said their business of draying had been in New Rockford for many years and had stayed in business during the lean as well as the affluent times. They wanted the public to be aware of that, in light of competition from certain farmers who having slack time in the winter would hitch up a team to do draying during the snowy months only to go back to farming in the spring.

The contract for the steam heating plant for the school was given to Pond & Hosey, the same firm that did the steam-heat plants for the courthouse and the “Transcript” office. Joseph Maxwell had received the radiators and piping for the steam heat for his residence. E.S. Severtson was having hardwood floors and other improvements made in his newly acquired house.

Mrs. L.G. Lundin of Sheyenne visited Mr. and Mrs. B.W. Rantz for several days. Miss Elsie Stevens of Carrington was visiting in New Rockford.

Willie Baird had been ill several days that week.

Members of Prof. J. Newton Moore’s singing class were preparing for a Christmas concert.

Taken up by Julius Engels at his farm twelve and a half miles northwest of New Rockford a dark red milch cow about six years old.

On a recent evening a large number of friends went out to the home of Ole H. Olson eight miles northwest of New Rockford and gave him a surprise party.

On Nov. 15, C.E. Stohl was down from north of town on business. Ed Nystrom was in from the Sheyenne Valley. Mr. and Mrs. John Berglund were down from Sheyenne to shop. Alex Lawson and Ole Hegna were in from eastern Eddy County. George A. Lovell and Mr. and Mrs. Casper Erickson and family were in town. Miss Lillie Hakstad came in from Freeborn to shop and visit; William Mattson was also in from that area. Miss Helga Rud and Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Stenberg were in town shopping. Miss Marie Brevig came down from Sheyenne.

On Nov. 16, Peter Berglund and John P. Noack were in New Rockford. Robert Vivra was in from Tiffany on business. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Johnston were in shopping. Oscar Shaykette was in from his farm northwest of town. Peter Michel was in town from the Guler district. Tony Haas came in from the Superior district. Sven Pehrson was down from the Sheyenne Valley. Phillip Schaefer was in from Wells County. Dennis O’Connor returned from his homestead near Anamoose. James King was visiting from Seattle. E.E. Mitchell, a Great Western Elevator Company traveling representative, was checking up on the local business. Mrs. Alfred Dinnetz left for the “Old Country” of Norway for a lengthy visit; she was accompanied by her daughter.

On Nov. 16 and 17, T. Blankhorn, a traveling salesman for the Moline Plow Company, visited Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Clure. Dr. John Crawford was down from Esmond to visit.

On Sunday, Nov. 17, Nels K. Mattson was in New Rockford.

On Nov. 18 N.C. Hendrickson was down from the Sheyenne Valley. Fred Skidmore came in on business, as did Isaac Sanderson, Robert Walden, Frank Volbrecht, and Herman Hammer of Cooperstown. Orrin Foster came in from Tiffany, as did F.L. Tronsdal and his son. C.G. Fairbanks was over from Hensler [in Oliver County], looking after business. [Fairbanks had operated a dray line in New Rockford from October 1897 to July 1901.] Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Larson left for their new home in Boulder, Colo.; she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Bailey of Eddy County. That morning Roy McKenzie started as a clerk in the J.C. Whiteman Drug Store. That evening the Royal Neighbors held their regular meeting, followed by a social get-together.

On Nov. 18 and 19, David Webster, John Griffith, and Devrey Alexander were over from Emerado.

On the morning of Nov. 19, the grammar room at the school was evacuated when it filled with smoke. That day was a foggy one. Matt Mattson was in town. Thomas Bollingberg was in from Twist Post Office. R.J. Howden of McHenry came over to visit some friends. Ben Nelson was in town from Freeborn on business. Fred Zimmerman, Jr., came in from the Guler district. That afternoon, Charles Pottner was in town. George Flater left for Alberta, Canada, to look for a business location. Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Clark left for San Diego for the winter, but first they would visit their daughter Mrs. H.H. Campbell and her family in Oshkosh, Wis., until Jan. 1; they planned on returning to Eddy County about April 1. A council of Congregational Churches met in Barlow and reviewed the recent action of the Barlow church, and then approved its creed, constitution and by-laws. This action allowed the Barlow church full fellowship within the Congregational Church. Church representatives came from Jamestown, Pingree, Melville, Carrington, New Rockford and Oberon. The Barlow ladies served a supper. The New Rockford Congregational choir sang, and J.R. Engberg donated a building site. Rev. J.R. Beebe of New Rockford would fill the Barlow pulpit.

On Nov. 19 and 20, Hiram B. Sorter was in from Freeborn on business. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Erickson also came in from Freeborn; he had purchased more land.